Campaign of the Month:
May 2009

Forgotten Realms: The Savage North

The Fall of Vlaakith

In which we destroy Vlaakith's phylactery, Tu'narath falls and Mystra returns to the world

3

APR/11

After bringing Mystra back to life, we head back through the chamber filled with ectoplasmic tendrils and calcified githyanki bodies. It seems like something had killed them from below.

We get across without incident and return to the portal that brought us here and head to the section that we hadn’t been to yet.

Ectoplasmic strands stretch across the chamber around a prismatic hemisphere extending up from the floor. Wisps of ectoplasmic are obliterated when they touch the prismatic hemisphere.

We dance around and try to figure out how to negate the layers of the prismatic sphere. Most of our plans consist of simply touching it and trying to trigger each layer.

Sardon uses his spellscar to consume the last layer in a blinding flash. Vlaakith’s emaciated face ripples across the sphere and Sardon’s scar is healed.

Inside the sphere is a sarcophagus with no marks other than a circular symbol on it – the astral driftmetal key that we only have 3/4 of.

We use linked portal to jump back to near the entrance to the Fortress of Whispers to try to find the last remaining piece.

The astral dreadnought training chamber is filled with githyanki fighting each other – the rebels used our distraction to launch their assault. Dozens or even hundreds of Kelemvor’s astral vessels are attacking as well, shattering the very walls of the Fortress.

Heading to where we last detected the key, we find a throne room with the infernal dragon Holocaust and a throne made entirely of mindflayer skulls. Doomguide Faractus is hovering in the air, bound by spectral shackles, her face locked in a grimace of pain.

Vlaakith is upon the throne and clearly not pleased by our presence. Despite our witty banter, she is not pleased – especially whem Zamkress reveals himself to be part of the rebellion!

Combat ensues!

We manage to kill Holocaust and most of Vlaakith’s minions and Zareb-kahn grabs the last piece of the key to her sarcophagus.

We race through the battered Fortress of Whispers as it lilts to the side, one of the chains attaching it to the city was destroyed by the fleet. Arriving back at the sarcophagus, we assemble the key and open it. Loakan destroys the lich-queen’s phylactery.

We return to the Fortress and the black marble walls have turned white. Every few seconds, a soul is released and ascends to freedom among Kelemvor’s fleet.

The Debt of All Men picks us up and takes us back to the throne room but Vlaakith is gone, along with some specific items from the dragon’s hoard. Only gold and gems remain (1,123,460 gp total).

We are able to track someone going through one of the portals from the throne room. The trail leads to the teleportation circle.

The Kelemvor navy then completely destroys the Palace of Whispers.

The githyanki high inquisitor explains that the rebellion raided the godsblood supply, but it was already gone and the storage area had been destroyed. Apparently after Mystra’s resurrection, she reclaimed the godsblood and signaled to both the githyanki rebellion and the Kelemvorite fleet to attack.

The rebellion now rules Tu’narath.

Epilogue

Theran follows Mystra’s command to return to the world and preach her return.

Loakan returns to the keep in the north to rule the north with an even hand, keeping the peace.

Sammael converts a githyanki ship into a plane-traveling casino with full service entertainment.

Zareb-kahn chronicles the return of the Weave and how magic changes with the god’s return.

Sardon gathers the remaining Wheloon Seven (who are not duplicitous back-stabbers… so like 3 of them) to form a new adventuring group and explore Returned Abeir.

Loose Ends

Malgannon showed up Baldur’s Gate after we had thwarted the evil plans there. He was at a loss for what to do at that point and disappeared. He is still alive and has left the world for Sigil, working as a servant of the Lady of Pain.

Fortune and Miranda left Baldur’s Gate and disappeared as well. MIranda was a succubus (shocking!) and has taken Fortune to Tytherian (in the Nine Hells).

Mystra’s return reinforced the bonds on Vulnazzar, locking him away forever and preventing him from reaching out into the world again.